were for the elderly. And the County Championships were just a fortnight away.Wright iced the injury for a quarter of an hour and visited a sports masseur two days later. He discovered that a muscle in Wright’s lower back had locked, probably because

for 45 to 60 minutes, their blood pressure fell - specifically, by an average of 10.4 millimetres of mercury (mm/Hg) systolic, and 5.3 (mm/Hg) diastolic. The effect of plinky-plonky music on blood pressure has not been measured.Lower-back pain

's important to keep flexibility in all directions of the spine."Ustrasana: Step by Step1. Stand up on your knees, hip distance apart. Place your palms on your lower back, fingers facing down (as if you were slipping your hands into your back pockets). Your

problems in your back, they often come to the surface when you start running because it is quite a compressive sport,” says Leach. “You need to make sure the biomechanics of your lower back are working at 100 per cent.” If there are mechanical weaknesses

) to create a space and try and lower your bum to the floor in between your legs.3. Lean back and rest your elbows on the floor either side of your legs, then slowly lower down to resting on your forearms (if you can’t do this remain either with your elbows

. 2. Lying gluteal stretch against wall Keep the ankle of your front leg just below your knee and ensure that you’re close enough to the wall for your lower back to be off the floor. As gravity gently brings your lower back towards

, particularly during faster sessions. For days afterwards the area is painful, even to gentle massage. I only use the ‘traditional’ rugby stretch of one foot back with my heel to the floor. Is the problem caused by my changed running surface, or could it be my

to work the muscles in the front of your lower legs.Heel-Toe Walk Walk across a room with your forefoot off the ground. Then walk back on your tiptoes. These exercises will strengthen your compartment muscles so that they, and not the bone, take the brunt

(a very gentle inward curve in the lower back). Relax your lower abdominals, then gently flatten (without bracing) below the belly button towards your back. Try to keep the ‘six-pack’ muscles, your breathing and your diaphragm relaxed. This should

loosely arrange at a 30-40 degree angle away form the body, like the wings of a plane.  Your feet should be hip width apart2. Inhale and, using your whole core: glutes, lower back, abdominals, breathe in lift your arms, legs off the floor as high as you